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Governor Abbott Announces Opening Of New Cognizant Regional Technology And Service Delivery Center

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced Cognizant will open a new regional technology and service delivery center in Irving, Texas, in early 2018. Cognizant is a leading Fortune 500 multinational corporation providing innovative information technology, consulting, and business process services. Cognizant has over 3,600 employees currently located in Texas, and plans to create 1,090 new jobs based out of the new facility with a capital investment of more than $8 million. A Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant offer of $2,105,880 has been extended to Cognizant.

”Growing technology companies like Cognizant continue to seek talented and qualified individuals to become the next generation of leaders, and that is exactly what Texas provides,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas is the best state for business because we are uniquely capable of meeting the needs of globally successful industry leaders like Cognizant. I am encouraged by Cognizant's expansion in the state, and I look forward to the continued growth of our partnership.”

”We are very pleased to be expanding our presence as a major employer in the State of Texas,” said James Lennox, Chief People Officer at Cognizant. “Like so many other companies, we’ve found Texas to be an outstanding place for business. Texas is home to many of the Fortune 500 and 1000 clients we serve. We’re particularly excited to be expanding in Irving, given the area’s access to a strong talent pool, and an excellent system of colleges and universities with whom we hope to partner on jobs programs and training initiatives. We are already engaged with the Texas Workforce Commission, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, and Dallas County Community College District on developing training initiatives focused on building skills individuals need to successfully compete for in-demand digital economy jobs. The training programs we envision will help grow overall employment opportunities for Texas residents, and help Cognizant meet our continuing business needs for skilled talent.”

Within the new center, Cognizant has designated 10,000 square feet of training rooms and general workspace to house a pre-employment training program. The program will be delivered in partnership with Per Scholas, a national non-profit dedicated to collaborating with business to design industry- and job-specific courses based on employers’ tech talent needs. Plans call for training of at least 1,050 individuals over the course of 36 months, with Cognizant hiring as many as 750 of the program’s initial graduates to fill newly-created jobs in the Irving area. Lennox notes that Cognizant is seeing success with similar pre-employment training initiatives under way in New York, Des Moines, Iowa, and Tampa, Florida.

“The City of Irving is thrilled Cognizant has chosen Irving for its new Regional Service Delivery Center. We are honored to add this Fortune 200 technology corporation to a growing list of business partners,” said Mayor Rick Stopfer. “Workforce is a key initiative we continue to drive and we are certain Cognizant will find a growing talent pool of skilled workers to fill its more than 1,000 new jobs.”

“The Irving Economic Development Partnership is proud to welcome Cognizant home to Irving, Texas,” said Beth Bowman, President and CEO of the Irving Economic Development Partnership and the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce. “Cognizant’s selection of our community is a testament to our community’s assets including an established technology industry and associated workforce, central location and travel and transportation advantages. This Regional Service Delivery Center builds on the momentum our City continues to see as businesses find Irving to be a place where you can have a local address with global access.”

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